The Bureau of Reclamation and the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority (SLDMWA) announce the availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) for the Grassland Bypass Project, 2010-2019, for public review.  The Draft EIS/EIR describes the potential environmental impacts resulting from the implementation of a new Use Agreement for the Grassland Bypass Project.  The Use Agreement allows for continued use of the San Luis Drain from 2010 through 2019 for discharge of agricultural drainwater into Mud Slough (North).

New features of the project include an updated compliance monitoring plan, revised selenium and salinity load limits, an enhanced incentive performance fee system, a new Waste Discharge Requirement from the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, and mitigation for continued discharge to Mud Slough.  In-Valley treatment/drainage reuse at the San Joaquin River Water Quality Improvement Project would be expanded to 6,900 acres.

A public hearing will be held to receive oral and written comments on the Draft EIS/EIR on Tuesday, February 10, 2009, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the SLDMWA Boardroom, 842 Sixth Street, Los Banos, CA 93635.  If special accommodations are required, please contact Ms. Susan Mussett at 209-826-9696 or susan.mussett@sldmwa.org.

The Draft EIS/EIR was prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act and California Environmental Quality Act and is available online at http://www.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/nepa_projdetails.cfm?Project_ID=3513.  If you encounter problems accessing the document, please contact Ms. Lynnette Wirth at 916-978-5102 or lwirth@mp.usbr.gov.

Copies of the Draft EIS/EIR may be requested from Ms. Judi Tapia, Reclamation, at 559-487-5138, TDD 559-487-5933, or jtapia@mp.usbr.gov, or from Mr. Joseph McGahan, SLDMWA, at 559-582-9237 or jmcgahan@summerseng.com.  

The document may be viewed at

• Reclamation's Fresno office, 1243 N Street, Fresno
• SLDMWA's office, 842 Sixth Street, Los Banos

or at the following libraries: 

• San Francisco Public Library, 100 Larkin Street, San Francisco, CA 94012
• UCD Shields Library, Documents Department, 100 NW Quad, University of California, Davis, CA 95616
• Merced County Public Library, 1312 South 7th Street, Los Banos, CA 93635
• Merced County Library, 2100 O Street, Merced, CA 95340
• California Natural Resources Agency Library, 1416 Ninth Street, Suite 117, Sacramento, CA 95814
• Stanislaus County Library, 1500 I Street, Modesto, CA 95354
• Fresno County Public Library, Government Publications, 2420 Mariposa Street, Fresno, CA 93721
• California State Library, 914 Capitol Mall, Suite E-29, Sacramento, CA 95814

Written comments should be sent by close of business Monday, March 23, 2009, to Ms. Tapia at 1243 N Street, Fresno, CA 93721-1831, or faxed to 559-487-5397, or e-mailed to jtapia@mp.usbr.gov, or sent to Mr. McGahan at P.O. Box 2157, Los Banos, CA 93635, or faxed to 209-826-9698, or e-mailed to jmcgahan@summerseng.com.